Last night at my company Christmas party, we valeted my wife's car. At the end of the party when they brought the car back there was a nice basketball size scuff on the driver's side corner at the rear bumper/quarter panel intersection. I pointed it out to the driver and he got his manager. The manager gave me his contact information and said he'll review the camera footage to confirm it wasn't there when they took the car into the garage, but it won't be until Monday at the earliest.

This is another fun adult adventure I've never had to deal with before. In November a rental I was driving got hit by a piece of debris flying off a construction truck driving down I-10, so that's still in the works.

To say I'm skeptical that the valet company is going to do the right thing and take care of this is an understatement.

Is there anything else I need to be doing while I wait for his "camera review" on Monday?

Will it buff out?

Martin Q. Blank said:

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Will it buff out?

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No. Look at the seam between the bumper over and the rear quarter panel. THe bumper will need to be replaced.


I'd be on the phone with my insurance. Even if you don't start an official claim with them there's no harm in talking to a pro that's on your side. You pay your insurance company. You're not the customer of the valet or the venue's insurance company

Good luck. Hopefully this isn't you soon...

Wait for a response form valet. Talk to the party planner. File your own claim and fix it and move on with life.

Go in that order. Sucks but might have to eat it as cost of doing business.

it sucks, but see what the valet company comes back with. maybe you can settle with them for 400ish cash and just get it fixed with your insurance

That sucks. Even when we had cheaper, less valuable cars, I refused to valet vehicles. It's just not worth it and no one treats your stuff like you do. Hope they take responsibility and make it right.

What valet company? They gone. Vanished into the night, last night.

Unless they own up to it, the Insurance company will look for any excuse to say it's prior damage. Initial photos seem to suggest it's in a spot that's consistent with a valet backing a car into a spot and hitting something.

Did they give you a ticket that has a diagram of a car on it? They're supposed to indicate prior damage on it when you drop off.

If they didn't, it may have a neutral effect but could help if they did and didn't check damage.

Jason_Roofer said:

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TexasAggie2006 said:

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That sucks. Even when we had cheaper, less valuable cars, I refused to valet vehicles. It's just not worth it and no one treats your stuff like you do. Hope they take responsibility and make it right.

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Lots of places, like Houston hotels are "valet only". I guess you can just park in a lot somewhere but that's almost worse. Risk valet damaging your car or risk it getting stolen completely. Not sure but I'm like you, I don't valet if I can help it, and if it is valet only, I drive my 25 year old truck. Go ahead, dig around in it, steal those two nickels that have melted peppermints on them that have been in the console for 15 years. Leave it unlocked. It'll be fine.

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I borrowed my father's 2005 F-150 a couple weeks ago and it was exactly like that.

The amount of coffee he must have spilled into the cup holder over time was amazing.
It was so gross that I actually cleaned it before I borrowed it.

Speaking of cameras...
Did you take the toll road to the venue? Toll both will have photos of your damage free car.

I assume that the more reputable valets are bonded/insured. A small claims case that gets referred to the bond company probably gets paid rather than fought.

Kenneth_2003 said:

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Speaking of cameras...
Did you take the toll road to the venue? Toll both will have photos of your damage free car.

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Or any cameras at your home for that matter when you left. They could still argue that it may have happened on the way there, but it's a start.